


Scarred

by quietmillennial



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-14
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-10-10 07:01:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17421242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quietmillennial/pseuds/quietmillennial
Summary: Scars heal, but never fade. . .





	Scarred

"Goddamn it!" growled Jasper in exasperation as he struck his fist against the kitchen table.  
David was about to scoff, of course, being this was Jasper's way of trying to win the argument in a last ditch attempt, but the words caught in his throat. Three feet away from Jasper, at the other end of the table, was Gwen. In an instant, she had gone from fiery and defiant to terrified and submissive. At Jasper's outburst of rage, she'd flinched, and now shuddered in fear, as if waiting for what was to come next. David couldn't breathe. A cold, familiar trill ran through his blood stream.

"Jasper," he pressed urgently. The blonde would've snapped back, if he hadn't of realized what state his wife was suddenly in. He froze, trying to say something, anything, but couldn't due to the urge to throw up building inside him. As she trembled, he instead reached his hand to touch her arm, but pulled away immediately as if he'd been burned.

She flinched away whimpered pitifully. Jasper might have passed out if he didn't have David come supportively behind him, all the anger quicky drained from the both of them.

"Gwen," whispered David softly, slowly, and perhaps coaxingly. She suddenly shot up, as if waking up from a nightmare, and tried to choke down the sobs threatening to erupt from her. But the tears wouldn't stop, and she gasped at every breath. No longer able to stand the sight, Jasper surged forward and took her in his arms, knees almost buckling as she shrieked out a distressed sob.

David pressed a gentle hand to Jasper's back, and the latter quickly followed his prompting to the couch, where he sat Gwen in his lap as she she hid in the crook of his neck, continuing to to cry as David sat on the other side of her took her hand, rubbing his calloused fingers against her skin soothingly. Jasper stroked her hair while crooning remorsefully, "I'm never going to hurt you, Doll. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it. I never meant to scare you. You're safe, I'm so sorry."

David echoed him somewhat, and afterwards met Jasper's eyes. 'It's not your fault,' he mouthed sincerely, but Jasper only shook his head and and began to rock her as she calmed down. David instructed her breath patiently, as Jasper continued to fretfully caress her.

Gwen took a deep breath and pulled away. She looked him in the eyes. She sighed as she felt the remorse coming off of him. "Jasper," she whispered hoarsely, "It's not your fault that I'm stupid."

Jasper held back a snappy reply and shook his head as David took the helm, "Gwen, honey, you aren't stupid." Jasper pulled her back against him and kissed her forehead gently. "It's my fault, I should have known better. I didn't mean it."

Gwen snapped, "It's not your fault that I'm a fucking trainwreck, okay!? Who else do you know who would have a panic attack over a fist on a table? You can't plan for that shit, you can't change natural fucking tendencies when you get mad. All I can do is get over it, and I'm trying!"

She worked herself up again, and tears formed rebelliously in her eyes. As they spilled over the brim, Jasper carefully wiped them away. David was stoic, this old darkness ripping at his heart like it hadn't in a long time. He sighed, squeezing her hand tight.

"You've been through a lot, Gwen. I know that, we know that, and you know it, too, darn it. You can't just make it go away. It hurts and it scars and you remember. The last time I stayed with my mother, she had a nightmare about my father. Heck, I still have them, too. It's trauma, and it is real, and I don't give a rip who tries to tell you otherwise. You're allowed to hurt, you're allowed to cope, but please, please, don't pretend for us. Don't fake being okay. Neither of us want that."

Gwen pulled away and looked at David. "You don't deserve to put up with it. You didn't do this to me."

She felt warm, soft lips gingerly graze her shoulder. "We don't put up with anything from you. You've given us more than we could have ever imagined. We're happy, and I, I hate you're not as happy," said Jasper, voice cracking with emotion all the way through.

She tangled her free hand into Jasper's wild locks, gripping David's hand tighter with the other. "I am happy," she whispered, "Happier than I've ever been. We fight and argue and make up and I love it so much because I've never had that. I love you both, and I know," she made Jasper meet her glossy eyes, "you'd never, ever hurt me. And I, I promise I know, I've just. . .never had that before either."

David pulled her onto the actual couch between them, smiling sweetly. "Thank you," he beamed. Finally, she pulled a genuine, shaky smile. "For what?" she whispered. 

He just shook his head and leaned against her shoulder, twinging their fingers together. Jasper leaned down and pressed an Eskimo kiss to her nose. "For being honest," he finished for David, "For letting us in. It feels good. I can take care of you now. I don't have to freak out so bad, I am sorry for that."

She met his eyes and grinned, "Thank you, and I'll try to keep in mind that it isn't the same anymore."

"Baby steps for all of us," mused David against her skin, "I probably shouldn't have started all of this over a cactus."

Silence settled over them for a minute, as shock of that fact hit all of them. And then, Jasper started to laugh, then he went cackling. And Gwen started, too, as David blushed furiously in embarrassment before he, too, began to laugh.

Suddenly, the door opened and closed, Max and Neil walking in on the the hysterical laughter of the guardians. "What the fuck are you laughing about?" asked Max, as he expertly caught the little redhead that launched herself at him. Harper must have woken from her nap.

Gwen shook her head and dismissed the question, "Nothing. What do you three want for dinner?"

Jasper and David grinned at each other, admiring the resilience of the woman they married.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me at quietmillennial on tumblr.


End file.
